Take Care
by Oneturtledove
Summary: Mulder finally gets something he wants. And so does Scully, surprisingly.


Disclaimer: The day I own them is the day David and Gillian admit it.

A/N: I so did not set out to make this a phone conversation fic. Oh well, I like it.

* * *

_Tuesday Morning_

She felt terrible. Utterly and completely like the bottom of a public garbage can in the middle of July. If she had the energy she would have rolled out of bed and taken a shower. As it was, she could barely reach her hand out to grab the harshly ringing phone.

"Scully," she mumbled, closing her eyes against the light.

"It's me. I'm at the airport. Are you running late?"

"Airport?"

"Yeah. The place where planes take off and land. You know planes, right?"

"I know planes, I just... why are you at the airport?"

"The case, Scully."

"What?"

"Okay, I thought after that incident with Van Blundht you swore off alcohol in all forms."

"What?" she repeated.

"Scully are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just can't move," she croaked, trying unsuccessfully to stretch.

"Are you sick?"

"No, it's perfectly normal to wake up immobile, Mulder."

"You can't move, but you can sling the flaming darts of sarcasm."

"Poor immune system rears its ugly head again."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"I think it's just a bug. I'll meet you in... wherever tomorrow."

"Are you sure?"

"I'll be okay. Where are you going again?"

"Scranton."

"Ug. Okay, I will be on the first flight to Scranton tomorrow."

"You'll be okay?"

"I'll be fine."

"Alright. I'll call you when I get there and find out how terrible the police force is and how elderly the M.E. is and how much I need you there."

"Looking forward to it."

"Feel better Scully."

"I will."

She hung up the phone and rubbed her aching head. She hated the idea of Mulder going without her, but there was really nothing she could do about it. He would be fine this time, and she would be there tomorrow anyway. She rolled over and went back to sleep.

* * *

_Tuesday Evening_

"Hello?"

"Scully it's me. How are you feeling?"

"Crappy. How do I sound?"

"You've been worse."

"Thanks I think. How's the case?"

"Not bad, actually. The locals are pretty cooperative, the hotel is nice, I got pillow mints."

"Lucky."

"Are you sure you're okay? You sound like you've gargled with sawdust."

"Great."

"Did you even get out of bed today?"

"I tried. I failed."

"Did you eat?"

"Mulder, I can't even stand upright."

"Do you have a fever?"

"Probably."

"Maybe you need to call your mom."

"She's out of town. I'll be fine."

"Scully you can't starve yourself."

"I'm not. I'm fasting."

"Scully."

"I'm fine, Mulder."

"Do I need to come home and spoon feed you chicken soup?"

"As much as that image amuses me, no. I'll be fine in the morning, and I'll fly out and meet you there."

"Don't push yourself. Just get better."

"I will."

"Go to sleep, Scully. I'll talk to you in the morning."

"Night."

He hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment. More than anything he wished he could be there to take care of her. Common sense told him that even if he was there, she wouldn't let him in the apartment. She'd keep repeating that she was fine until he got annoyed and stopped trying. He smiled at the image of her standing in her living room, her face flushed with fever, her hands on her hips, and that determined look in her eyes.

He set the phone on the side table, smushed his pillow into an unrecognizable shape, and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

_Wednesday Morning_

"Mulder, it's me," she croaked, not even waiting for a greeting.

"You're not coming are you?"

"I got out of bed. I made it to my bedroom door before my legs gave out."

"Oh Scully..."

"I got to know my carpet pretty well. It's not just white. It has tiny beige fibers in it too."

"Intimacy with your carpet is a goal that most people never achieve. You should be proud, Scully."

"I'm sorry, Mulder."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm not jealous of your carpet."

"Mulder."

"It's okay, Scully. Just get well."

"I don't like the fact that you don't have anyone watching your back."

"Are you trying to tell me that you check out my butt while we're on assignment?"

She sighed.

"I'll talk to you later Mulder."

* * *

_Wednesday Night_

"Hey Scully, how are you feeling?"

"Mad that you woke me up."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. How's the case?"

"Hit a dead end."

"Anything I can help you with?"

"Nah. I was just going to go over the file one more time and see what I missed. Figured I would call and check on you first."

"Thank you," she said, sincerely surprised at how good that simple statement made her feel.

"Did you get out of bed today?"

"Yeah. I ate some toast. And then I threw it up."

"Thanks for sharing."

"Anytime."

"You want me to come home?"

"I'm fine, Mulder. I'm feeling better than I was yesterday."

"Are you sure?"

"Mulder."

"Alright, but promise you'll call if you get worse."

"I will. Goodnight, Mulder."

"Night, Scully."

* * *

_Thursday Morning_

"Hey, it's me. I just wanted to check on you before I headed out. Feeling better?"

"No."

"Did you eat?"

She just whimpered a response.

"Okay, I am getting the first flight out of here."

"No, you don't have to do that."

"I want to. You're sick and you have no one to take care of you."

"A commentary on my lack of friends is not needed right now."

"I wasn't-"

"Bye, Mulder."

"Hey!"

"What?"

"I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Yeah, okay, whatever, bye."

* * *

_Thursday Afternoon_

"Mulder it's me."

"Hey."

"I'm sorry I was so cranky this morning."

"You have an excuse. Don't worry about it. Felling any better?"

"My head hurts. And I'm nauseated. And my throat is scratchy and my sinuses are acting up. And my hips hurt from laying in bed for so long and my eyes itch and... I'm broken."

"You need to get to the doctor," he said with a slight chuckle.

"I am a doctor."

"You need to get to a doctor who is not suffering from a fever."

"Maybe later. I'm tired."

"You're stubborn."

"That's what they tell me. How's the case coming?"

"Better. I think we're going to get a break soon. I can feel it."

"I wish I was there."

"I wish you were too."

"I never thought I would be wishing to go to Ohio."

"You really are sick."

"Shut up."

"Get some rest, Scully. And please try to drink some water."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

* * *

_Friday Afternoon_

"Hey Snoozy. You didn't answer the phone when I called this morning."

"I was slightly incapacitated."

"Still not feeling any better?"

"No."

"I'm sorry."

"When are you coming home?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"I hate being sick all by myself."

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Don't rush. Wrap up the case and then come home."

"You must really be sick to want me to come home and take care of you."

"I haven't felt this bad in a really long time. I'm surprised it lasted this long."

"Me too. Get some rest, Scully. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye. Mulder."

* * *

_Saturday Morning_

"Mulder it's me. Skinner called me because you hadn't checked in with him yet."

"I was just getting ready to call him. Sorry about that."

"He's anal."

"You must be feeling better."

"A little. My head is all buzzy."

"Have you eaten anything?"

"I had some crackers and watermelon about an hour ago."

"Can you try and eat something more than that?"

"I'll try."

"Thanks."

"What's going on there?"

"We solved the case."

"You did?"

"Yeah. I just need to do some paperwork and the debriefing. I should be home sometime tomorrow."

"You promise?"

"I promise. Your voice is sounding better."

"My throat still hurts," she whined, illustrating her statement with a snort and sniffle.

"Go take a bubble bath and have some tea."

"I know. I'm a doctor."

"I know you are. I'm just saying."

"Okay."

"I'll talk to you later, Scully."

"Bye."

* * *

_Sunday Morning (barely)_

He found her apartment key quickly and unlocked her door, hoping he wouldn't disturb her. It was late, or early rather, and he wasn't sure what her sleep schedule was like. He slipped inside and closed the door behind him, heading towards her bedroom. Moonlight was streaming in the window and it made her look almost translucent. He sat down on the bed next to her and reached down to check her temperature. She was burning up. And he brow was sweaty. She was probably dehydrated.

"Scully," he said, running his hand through her damp hair. "Wake up."

She groaned and clamped her eyes shut.

"Scully, come on."

A slight whimpering sigh came before she finally opened her eyes.

"Mulder? I thought you weren't going to be here until tomorrow."

"It is tomorrow."

"Mmm."

"You need to get some fluids in you. And some Tylenol."

"Alright," she agreed as her eyes slipped shut.

"You've got to be awake for that, Scully."

Her eyebrows knit together and she tried to sit up. He reached over and helped her, propping her up on some pillows.

"I'll be right back, okay?"

She nodded and he made a quick trip to the kitchen for water and Tylenol. When he came back into the room she was blowing her nose while her eyes watered. She wadded up the tissue and threw it straight into the garbage can.

"Even sick you can still beat me at garbage can basketball."

"Yield to my skills," she deadpanned, reaching for the water and the medicine.

"Can I do anything for you?"

"I want sleep. I've been sleeping for three days and I'm still tired."

"Being sick takes a lot out of you."

"Hardy har, har."

He chuckled and brushed the hair back from her forehead.

"Think you can stay awake long enough for me to take your temperature?"

"Yeah."

He went into the bathroom and grabbed the thermometer, coming back into the room to find her dozing.

"Scully?"

"Hmm?"

"Open up."

One skeptical eye slipped open and he held out the thermometer. She smiled weakly and took it.

"I should take your temperature all the time. It shuts you up."

She tossed a tissue at him.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before the thermometer beeped.

"103.2," he said, shaking his head. "I'm taking you to the hospital."

"No."

"Scully, you know how quickly a fever can get dangerous. I'm not risking it with you."

"Give the Tylenol a chance to work."

"Scully-"

"I'm a grown woman," she said, feeling a little bolder now that her freedom was at stake. "If you want me to go to the hospital you're going to have to drag me there."

"Alright, we'll check again in an hour. But if it hasn't gone down, we're going to the hospital. Deal?"

"Fine."

"Do you have any juice or anything? I want to get something into you."

"I just had water."

"Scully, don't be difficult."

"There might be orange juice in the freezer that you can mix up."

He went into the kitchen and found the orange juice concentrate in the door of the freezer. He set to work mixing it up, and after only one mishap with the pitcher and the spoon, the juice was ready. He poured a glass and took it into her bedroom

"How come you get the kind without pulp?" he asked, handing the glass to her.

"Pulp makes me gag."

"Seriously? Everything you've ever seen in life, and orange juice pulp is the thing that makes you gag?"

"I'm multi-faceted abnormal."

"Intriguing."

She smiled and took a sip of the juice. It was a lot sweeter than she had been expecting, but that was probably due to the fact that she had had next to nothing in her mouth for the past three days. She set the glass on the table next to the bed and laid back against the pillows.

"Go to sleep, Scully. I'll be back to check on you later."

"But you didn't even tell me about the case yet," she protested, adjusting the pillow behind her head.

"I'll tell you when you start feeling better."

"Will you stay here?"

"I was gonna hit the couch."

"Thanks."

He kissed her forehead and tucked her in gently before leaving the room.

Two hours later he woke to the sound of her voice.

"Mulder?"

"Scully, you should be in bed."

"I called for you but you didn't answer. I thought you left."

"I'm right here," he said standing up from the couch. "I just fell asleep. Go back to bed, Scully."

"My head hurts. I can't sleep in there anymore."

He sighed as she sat down next to him and pulled her legs underneath her. She had probably lost 5 pounds since she had been sick. Maybe more. He slid his hands around her waist and pulled her closer.

"Why don't I run you a nice warm bubble bath? It will make you feel better. Just don't fall asleep in there."

She nodded and he kissed her forehead before standing up and heading for the bathroom. He turned the water on and made sure it was the right temperature before plugging the tub. Scully padded in behind him, her arms wrapped around her middle.

"I want to take your temperature one more time."

"It's down."

"I just want to make sure."

"Alright."

He went into her bedroom and came back with the thermometer. He stuck it in her mouth and she practically pouted until it was done.

"It's down."

"Told ya so."

"I'll leave you to your own devices in here. Holler if you need anything."

"You wish."

He rolled his eyes and left the room.

* * *

"Feeling better?" he asked when she finally came out of the bathroom almost an hour later. She was rubbing her hair dry with a towel and practically swimming in the flannel pajamas she was wearing.

"A little."

She sat down beside him with a sigh and he reached for the towel.

"You're not going back to bed with wet hair."

"Old wife."

"What?"

"Wet hair causing illness is an old wives tale."

"Old wives are wise women. Give me that towel."

She relinquished the terrycloth and he set to work drying her damp hair.

"It's nice to have someone take care of you every once in a while, isn't it?"

A slight tremor made its way down her spine, but he pretended not to notice.

"The company is nice."

He stopped his motions with the towel and turned her towards him.

"It's okay to admit it, Scully. As spiffy as that cape is, and as hot as you would look in it, you're not Wonder Woman. It's perfectly okay and human to need someone else every once in a while."

"Not for me," she said quietly, shaking her head.

"Are you human?"

"Mulder..."

"There is no reason that needing someone else is okay for everyone but you. You're not an ice-queen, Scully. Don't let yourself believe that you are."

"I don't."

"Then why is it such a blow to your ego to accept help?"

"I don't know. It's just always bothered me."

He was quiet for a moment, watching her watch her hands.

"Is it because you never felt like you could count on anyone else?"

"Yes," she whispered in the 'I'm-about-to-cry-but-I-don't-want-you-to-know-it' voice.

He tucked her into his arms and kissed her hair.

"Why?"

"Dad was never around. We were close, but he was gone nine months out of the year. My mom had other kids to deal with. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and I never made a peep in my life. And with moving so much, I could never count on staying in the same place, much less getting to know someone well enough to trust them. I just never really had anyone to depend on, and when I finally did, they let me down. I just decided to do it on my own. No use being let down when you're already vulnerable."

"So what about me? I think I have proved that I will always be there for you. Why is it so hard for you to believe that?"

"It's not that I don't trust you. I'm just so used to doing everything on my own. I don't want to fail you. I don't want you to think that you can't count on me, like I'm weak or something."

"You're scared."

"I try not to be."

"Scully, I would never think any less of you, no matter what. I want you to let me in. I want to be able to take care of you every once in a while because it's just one less thing for you to worry about. Deal with it."

"I'll try."

He returned the towel to her hair and they were quiet for several minutes. She had often longed for him to take care of her like this, but she never knew how to ask him or to accept it when it came. It was almost a relief to tell him how she felt, and an even bigger relief to know that it didn't change his opinion of her. She could deny any feeling she had that would change their relationship. That was the most important thing to her.

"I'm going to carry you to bed now, and you're not going to protest," he said, tossing the towel onto the coffee table and scooping her up.

"Mulder!"

"I said you weren't going to protest."

She smiled a little as he set her down gently on her bed.

"You changed my sheets."

"It'll make you feel better."

"Thanks."

He pulled the blankets back and she climbed in with a yawn.

"I'm going to get you some fresh water."

"That water is fine."

"Are you sure? It's warm."

"It's fine."

"Alright. Go to sleep."

"Could you stay here?"

"Hmm?"

"Just lay down with me for a little while? It'll make me feel better," she said, staring up at him with wide innocent eyes. He smirked and toed off his shoes.

"Scully, can you promise me one thing?"

"What?"

"Promise me you'll never get sick like this again."

She laughed as he brushed her hair out of her face.

"I'll try my hardest, Mulder."

"Hey, thanks for letting me take care of you."

"Thanks for letting me let you."

He kissed her forehead gently.

"Go to sleep, Scully."


End file.
